Elections 101: Resources and Tools to Feel Empowered and Informed to Vote

There are less than two weeks until Election Day for the 2018 general election, and early voting is already underway here in Ohio! It is critically important for voters to have the resources that they need to feel empowered and informed to vote. And in an election year heralded as ‘the year of the woman,’ policy issues disproportionately affecting women have received great interest and attention from voters. That’s why we’re making it easy to access resources to help voters prepare to cast their ballots:

1.) The Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network and The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio – Issue 1 Voters Forum: This November, Ohioans will vote on Issue 1, a proposed constitutional amendment, also known as the Neighborhood Safety, Drug Treatment, and Rehabilitation Amendment.We partnered with the Women’s Fund to host a Voters Forum on State Issue 1: Understanding the Issue Through a Gender Lens. The forum provided voters with the opportunity to hear from representatives on both sides of the issue, specifically discussing the ways in which women and their families would be affected. [Watch the live streamed video of the forum here.]

From L to R: Louis Tobin, Executive Director, The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association (Opposed to Issue 1); Retired Judge Scott VanDerKarr, Former Franklin County Municipal Court judge (Opposed to Issue 1); Janetta King, President/CEO, Innovation Ohio (Moderator); Senator Charleta B. Tavares, Assistant Minority Leader, Ohio Senate (In Support of Issue 1); Molly Shack, Senior Community Organizer, Ohio Organizing Collaborative (In Support of Issue 1)

2. ) The Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network – Voter Guide Website: This guide serves as a non-partisan educational tool to help voters understand where candidates stand on issues related to women’s economic security, workplace opportunity, and health. The information published in the Voter Guide was obtained by a questionnaire sent to candidates in contested general election races for the Ohio State House, Ohio State Senate, and Ohio State Executive Offices (Attorney General, Auditor, Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and Treasurer). [Visit the Voter Guide Website]

3.) The League of Women Voters Ohio – Elections & Voting: The LWV Ohio Elections & Voting page houses information for voters on key dates for the election, FAQs, and additional resources on the election. [Explore the Elections & Voting Webpage]